Sumner County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Sumner County carries a county-average eviction risk score of 2.2/10, placing it in the Low tier, but that headline number deserves a closer look. Ranked 9th of 95 counties in Tennessee, only 8 counties statewide score higher, meaning Sumner sits in the higher-risk third of the state despite its Low label. For landlords evaluating a portfolio here, the operating environment is generally manageable, with an average rent of $1,476 and an average rent burden of 29.7%, but it is not uniformly calm across all 15 incorporated places.

The intra-county spread runs from a low of 2.4/10 to a high of 3.7/10, a full 1.3-point range that separates stable suburban markets from noticeably more stressed ones. With 32.6% of residents renting and a poverty rate of 9.3%, tenant financial pressure is real but contained relative to higher-risk Tennessee eviction laws markets. Landlords entering Sumner County should treat the county average as a starting point, not a destination, and price risk at the city level.

The cities inside Sumner County

Gallatin, the county seat and second-largest city with a population of 48,532, is the highest-risk market in the county at 3.7/10. Westmoreland follows at 3.6/10, and Portland and Millersville each score 2.2/10. These four cities account for meaningful rental inventory and represent the pockets where landlords should expect the most friction: slower-paying tenants, higher vacancy churn, and, when things go wrong, a fuller legal process. Hendersonville, the county's largest city at 63,091 residents, scores 3.4/10, a step below Gallatin but still above the county average in absolute terms.

On the lower end, Shackle Island scores 2.5/10 and Castalian Springs scores 2.6/10, both sitting well below the county average. These smaller communities reflect the hyper-local nature of eviction risk: geography, income mix, and local rental supply all shift the number meaningfully within a single county. Investors comparing Gallatin to Shackle Island are looking at a 1.2-point spread, which in practical terms can mean the difference between a quiet lease cycle and a contested eviction.

State-level laws that apply here

Sumner County falls under the Tennessee eviction process governed by T.C.A. § 66-28, the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. For nonpayment of rent in URLTA counties, landlords must give a 7-day notice to pay or vacate before filing; a material breach triggers a 14-day cure notice. Non-curable breaches require only a 3-day notice. Once filed, an uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Tennessee eviction laws state law preempts local rent control, and no just-cause eviction requirement applies, both meaningful protections for landlords. Understanding Tennessee security deposit limits and Tennessee tenant protections is equally important, since the statute imposes specific habitability and retaliation provisions under T.C.A. § 66-28-304 and T.C.A. § 66-28-514 that apply regardless of lease terms.

On costs, the Tennessee eviction costs framework puts court filing fees between $200 and $300, sheriff lockout fees between $40 and $150, and attorney fees between $500 and $2,500. Even an uncontested eviction can run several hundred dollars in hard costs before attorney time, and a contested case can reach the higher end of all three ranges simultaneously. Landlords should budget accordingly and keep lease documentation airtight to hold the line on uncontested timelines.

With a poverty rate of 9.3% and roughly one in three residents renting, Sumner County's risk profile is shaped by a minority of financially stressed tenants concentrated in specific cities, which is why the city-by-city grid above is the more actionable tool for underwriting individual assets.